We all get it—after a long day at the office, it's tough to find the motivation to work out. But, diligence always pays off. Here are the best tips and tricks to make the most out of your gym time, so that when winter rolls around, you'll be ready.

To change the way you perform on the mountain, you must reprogram your
body to move in new ways. And the more you’ve done it the old way, the harder you have to work—both physically and mentally—to adapt to the new. These dryland drills will not only boost your strength, stability and mobility, they’ll also train your neuromuscular system for efficient technique that’s flowing, not forced.

Harbor chop, Sierra cement, mank, moguls: These are all tough conditions to ski in—the uneven snow and terrain can make minced meat of you—so it’s natural to respond in kind, with brute force. But the flailing arms and gyrating hips that come with it betray a skier absorbing too much impact with his upper body and not enough with his legs. Experts’ upper bodies, on the other hand, remain smooth and steady—like a duck’s above the water’s surface—while their legs and feet do the work of absorbing uneven terrain. Only when you move your feet, ankles, knees and hips through their full athletic ranges of motion can you respond to rough terrain with fluidity and grace.